CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — Gov. Greg Abbott is demanding a thorough investigation into the Nueces River Authority after a top official at the agency accused Executive Director John Byrum of lying to the board, putting a $30 million grant at risk, and telling staff to hide information from the people who are supposed to be watching over them.
"Every member of a Texas board or commission should uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in service of the people of Texas," Abbott press secretary Andrew Mahaleris wrote in a statement to KRIS 6 News. "Governor Abbott expects a thorough investigation into the allegations brought forth and for the Board to act swiftly once the investigation is complete."
Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo is also calling for answers. She announced she will place the matter on the April 14 City Council agenda so it can be discussed publicly.
"From the beginning, there were serious concerns with the NRA's presentation," Guajardo wrote. "I did not see a clear, logical plan, funding mechanism, or sufficient information to support the NRA's multi-million dollar project. Unfortunately, what the news is reporting now reinforces those concerns."
Guajardo said she has asked the city manager for an immediate update.
About the Nueces River Authority
The NRA is a state agency created by the Texas Legislature in 1935. It manages water resources for all or parts of 22 counties across more than 17,000 square miles of South Texas. A 21-member board oversees the agency. The governor appoints all board members to six-year terms, and those appointments must be confirmed by the Texas Senate. The governor also picks the board president.
The NRA does not receive state or federal tax money. It pays its bills through fees for services and interest on investments.
The governor appoints that board, subject to consent from the Texas State Senate. Eric Burnett is the president of the board.
What Corpus Christi signed — and what it paid
On Oct. 21, 2025, the Corpus Christi City Council voted 5-3 to pay the NRA $2.7 million to reserve 50 million gallons of water per day from a planned desalination plant on Harbor Island. Council members Carolyn Vaughn, Eric Cantu, Everett Roy, Gil Hernandez, and Kaylynn Paxson voted yes. Roland Barrera, Sylvia Campos, and Guajardo voted no. Mark Scott was absent.
The contract reviewed by KRIS 6 News states the fee is non-refundable and does not count toward any future water purchase.
Here is what the city got — and did not get — for that payment:
- The city reserved the right to buy up to 50 million gallons of water per day once the plant is built
- The city did not receive any ownership stake in the plant or its pipelines
- The city has no guarantee the plant will ever be built
- If the city wants to pipe that water back to Corpus Christi, it would have to pay for that separately
- The amount reserved can go up, but cannot go down without both sides agreeing
The contract itself states that the availability of water "is not guaranteed and is wholly dependent upon factors outside of NRA's dominion and control."
At the Oct. 21 council meeting, Byrum told council members the project would cost between $5.5 and $6 billion and said the plant could deliver water by December 2029. Several council members pressed for a business plan and cost projections before voting. Mayor Guajardo said at the time, "There is not information, and multiple council members have said there's not enough information."
A letter written by NRA Chief Operating Officer Travis Pruski and sent to the board on March 27 alleges Byrum presented inaccurate sales figures at both the September and October 2025 council meetings — the same period when the council was considering and ultimately approving the $2.7 million payment.
There are no public email addresses listed for any of the 21 members on the board, who are responsible for overseeing Byrum.
Tuesday, KRIS 6 reached out to Byrum, who declined to comment on these allegations, citing personnel matters.
A statement Byrum sent to KRIS 6 News later in the day said the "Board of Directors has engaged independent legal counsel to conduct a thorough and objective review."
When KRIS 6 News asked who hired the outside lawyer and who made that decision, Byrum wrote that the board "engages the Sledge Law Firm through an engagement agreement that was approved this past year." In other words, the Sledge Law Firm was already on contract with the NRA before Pruski's letter ever became public.
Byrum did not say the board held a vote or a meeting to respond to the allegations. No public board meeting has been announced or held since the letter became public.
That raises a straightforward question the NRA has not answered: Did the full board vote to launch this investigation — and if so, when and where? Or did someone direct the agency's existing law firm to investigate without a public vote?
KRIS 6 News asked Byrum directly who gave that order. He did not answer.
KRIS 6 News sent Byrum four specific questions Wednesday:
- How and when did the board authorize hiring outside counsel — and was that done in a public meeting?
- If the executive committee acted instead of the full board, was a public meeting held first?
- If no public meeting was held, what legal authority allowed that decision to be made in private?
- Who is the outside counsel, and who chose them?
Byrum answered only the last question.
He did not respond to the questions about whether a public meeting was held or what legal authority allowed the decision to be made without one.
These allegations are not the first time the NRA has faced serious questions. A state investigation found that official water safety documents submitted by the NRA had been signed by people who did not actually collect the samples — including, records show, Byrum's own name. That probe resulted in 38 criminal cases against a former agency employee. Byrum has said he does not collect water samples in his role and declined to say whether he personally signed the forms bearing his name.
The City of Corpus Christi response to the allegations against the NRA
The City of Corpus Christi released the following statement regarding the allegations late Thursday morning:
The City is aware of the recent allegations and questions surrounding the Nueces River Authority (NRA). In light of this situation, we are currently reviewing the Harbor Island Desalination Reservation Fee Contract. The City views the current allegations as an internal administrative issue specific to the Nueces River Authority and expects the NRA to conduct its own internal investigation. While this investigation is ongoing, the City is unable to comment on specific claims. Meanwhile, we will continue to monitor the situation.
